Hermiston, Ore. (AP) — Two weeks after a fire severely damaged a plant that produced chips and salty snacks in northeast Oregon the company says it will lay off all of the site’s employees.
The Shearer’s Foods plant in Hermiston caught fire after a propane boiler exploded on Feb. 22. Six people were injured, KNDU-TV reported.
Shearer’s CEO Bill Nicktakis announced in a news release Tuesday that the company decided to lay off the employees, The Tri-City Herald reported. The East Oregonian reported that the plant currently employs 230 people.
The Umatilla County Sheriff’s Office said the cause of the fire appeared to be a portable natural gas-powered boiler that exploded.